Since 1996 the work of just one F1 enthusiast, Formula One Art & Genius is a tribute to the passion, heroism, glory and tragedy that for seven decades have made Grand Prix motor racing the world's greatest stage for drivers, their machines and the people who admire both.

Grand Prix Poles

Qualifying is an art unto itself in Formula One, with the very best — like Senna, Schumacher, Clark and Vettel — mastering the ability to turn in a hot lap at the precise moment when track and car conditions are optimal. In the past few decades, as chicanes and tighter circuits have made overtaking increasingly difficult and as “knock out” qualifying rounds were introduced to F1, the importance of pole position has correspondingly been heightened.

All drivers with 5 or career more poles, plus current drivers, through 2013.

Poles

Driver

Nat.

68

Michael Schumacher *

GER

65

Ayrton Senna

BRA

45

Sebastian Vettel

GER

33

Jim Clark

GBR

33

Alain Prost

FRA

32

Nigel Mansell

GBR

31

Lewis Hamilton

GBR

29

Juan Manuel Fangio

ARG

26

Mika Häkkinen

FIN

24

Niki Lauda

AUS

24

Nelson Piquet

BRA

22

Fernando Alonso

SPA

20

Damon Hill

GBR

18

Mario Andretti

USA

18

Rene Arnoux

FRA

17

Jackie Stewart

GBR

16

Kimi Räikkönen

FIN

16

Stirling Moss

GBR

15

Felipe Massa

BRA

14

Alberto Ascari

ITA

14

James Hunt

GBR

14

Ronnie Peterson

SUE

14

Rubens Barrichello

BRA

13

Jack Brabham

AUS

13

Graham Hill

GBR

13

Jacky Ickx

BEL

13

Jacques Villeneuve

CAN

13

Juan Pablo Montoya

COL

13

Mark Webber

AUS

12

Gerhard Berger

AUT

12

David Coulthard

GBR

10

Jochen Rindt

AUT

8

Jenson Button

GBR

8

Ricardo Patrese

ITA

8

John Surtees

GBR

7

Jacques Laffite

FRA

6

Emerson Fittipaldi

BRA

6

Phil Hill

USA

6

Jean Pierre Jabouille

FRA

6

Alan Jones

AUS

6

Carlos Reutemann

ARG

6

Ralf Schumacher

GER

5

Giuseppe Farina

ITA

5

Clay Regazzoni

SUI

5

Keke Rosberg

FIN

5

Patrick Tambay

FRA

5

Chris Amon

NZL

4

Nico Rosberg

GER

4

Jarno Trulli

ITA

1

Nico Hülkenberg

GER

1

Pastor Maldonado

VEN

* Michael Schumacher really should have 69 pole positions, but his 2013 Monaco pole was forfeited due to a grid penalty from the previous Spanish GP.